Blurred Lines
by Jauneforever
Summary: This is a different take on The Betrayer by TenchiSaWaDa who gave me full permission to do this. I hope you all enjoy this different path it could have taken.


**So I have been given permission from TenchiSaWaDa to write a different route that his story The Betrayer could have gone. If you haven't already read it you should before reading this, just look in my favorites for it. I hope I do this story justice. I do not own RWBY**

 **Blurred Lines**

 **Jaune's POV**

So this is how it ends, killed by my old team. Their eyes were cold when they looked at me throughout the entire fight. I made sure not to injure them too greatly, they however were going for the kill. After a vicious fight they left me to bleed out after some choice parting words. I'm not sure which wound will be the one to kill me. It could be the chunk of my left side I'm missing from one of Nora's grenades, maybe the bullet lodged in my lung, or perhaps the spear hole in my gut. I don't blame them however, I accepted the risk this might happen when I became Ozpin's double agent. I was his inside man in Cinder's organization. This is what I deserve though, I've got so much innocent blood staining my hands now. My heart skips a beat when RWBY comes back from the room Cinder was in, mostly because of one person.

Ruby Rose, the girl I ended up falling for. We started dating after Cinder invaded Beacon and soon I fell for her, I almost dropped out of the mission just so I could stay with her but that could have put her in danger. I hope they watch the logs I made but given what I've done they'll probably smash them. I'm shocked when Ruby looks in my direction and her eyes start to water before Yang drags her away from me even faster. Ruby has no idea how much those tears meant to me, the fact someone would care when all was said and done. I dig into my pocket and bring out a small box, flipping it open it reveals a small silver ring shaped like a rose with a ruby in the center.

"JAUNE!" looking up I see Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood staring down at me with worry in their eyes. "Heh, looks like that island you made me won't be needed." Anger appears on Glynda's face while she's trying to keep me alive. "Don't say that. You're going to pull through this." Ozpin however holds no illusions about my chances of surviving. "Mr. Arc." I cut him off there. "Just Jaune remember." My family denounced me publicly once I faked my betrayal, I'm not an Arc anymore. Ozpin swallows heavily. "Jaune do you have any last requests." I don't even have to think on those. "Don't let my body get torn apart by a mob, I'd like to be buried whole at least..." I have to stop and cough, blood is among the spittle. "And if Ruby doesn't hate me after she sees the logs give her this, I know she'll probably toss it but still..." I hold out the box and Ozpin takes it and my hand drops to my side. It only takes a few more minutes before my vision starts to dim, my pulse begins to slow to a crawl, and then darkness engulfed me.

 **Ruby's POV**

It's been two months since we beat Cinder and Jaune died, I think I'm the only one who cares. The others gave up on him over time, a lost cause they said. Now we can never find out, I don't even know where he's buried. Today Ozpin called (J)NPR and my team to meet him in order to show us something. I was only too glad to escape the reporters that have been hounding me constantly. We arrived at his office to find him pouring a glass of whiskey, even during the worst parts of the war I never saw him drink. Looking up and seeing us he motions for us to sit and then stands up.

"If you all will please sit, I have something I'd like to show you." Sitting around a table that's been set up Ozpin lowers a projector and attaches a scroll to it. "What I'm about to show you is classified, very few people know about it. The only reason you are seeing it is because of a promise I made." As he fiddles with the scroll I wonder what were about to see. One question is prominent in my mind. "Who did you make a promise too." A sense of dread fill my heart when Ozpin doesn't answer and just plays the video.

" _Must I do this Ozpin?"_ _Jaune asked while holding his head in one hand. He looks younger, probably when he was a first year. Ozpin's voice is heard "Yes, you must. It's so we have evidence in case… the worst case scenario occurs." Jaune shakes his head with an annoyed look on his face before smirking at the camera._

" _To anyone watching this. I'm a super-secret double-"Glynda's voice interrupts him. "Jaune please." Jaune's eyes roll and he continues. "My name is Jaune Arc. Hunter/double agent-in-training. I've been tasked to infiltrate the Cinder faction and the White Fang by Ozpin. My designated handler is Glynda Goodwitch. The video then goes black._

All our eyes go wide. I begin to hyperventilate. This can't be, this has to be another lie. Jaune couldn't have… Pyrrha's voice draws me out of my thoughts, her voice cracking. "W…hat was that?" We all turn to Ozpin who sits there sipping his drink. He seems to have aged thirty years in a single second.

"Jaune was my double agent, it was planned from the beginning. His grades and involvement were faked. He fed us information in any way possible. He wanted you to know." He then stands up and puts a scroll in my hands. It's way too heavy for a simple scroll, I can practically feel the weight of all the secrets it contains.

"Professor, I do.." Ozpin cuts me off with a hard stare and speaks in a solemn voice. "He made decisions, he made too many sacrifices. You all will watch this, you owe him that much." With that he leaves the room and we're left staring at the scroll. We all fear what's to come, what beliefs will be torn down. My head is still reeling from the fact Jaune was a double agent. Pyrrha is clutching her head, eyes wide with panic.

"This a joke, some sick and twisted joke." I know how she feels, the lines I've used to separate right and wrong are fading away. Nora is leaning into Ren, both with looks of disbelief on their faces, while he wraps an arm around her when she speaks. "So everything we knew about him was fake. He was never really our friend." If that's true what was our relationship, was I merely part of a cover? Pyrrha has covered her face in her hands yet her voice reaches me.

"Play the next one." I swallow and pull the videos up, there are a lot of them. My mind flashes back to the last time I saw Jaune, the look in his eyes when they met mine. It was that look of love he gave me before he left. But wasn't I merely an accessory of his cover.

"We're really going to watch it?" I look at my partner. Her eyes are glued to the scroll and filled with fear. I know that mine must look the same when I stare at it. I steel myself, I need these answers. "Yes."

 _Jaune is in Ozpin's office looking at the camera, his head is bandaged and his arm is in a cast. This must be the time Cinder invaded. Jaune takes a long sigh before speaking. "Cinder invaded today. Her and the White Fang, they're lead by some guy named Adam. It was partially to test me, had to open a gate to let them in." Jaune leans back in his chair. "They don't trust me, I have to change that. Told them I hated Hunters and the system. All part of the plan I guess."_

Pyrrha begins muttering to herself "That's where he went." Jaune had chalked up those missing minutes to the bathroom. The next video starts soon after.

 _Jaune is smiling at the screen while Glynda is walking out of the room. A fresh scar is seen on his bare chest. "Got my tracker put in today." Jaune pats the scar. "It'll heal soon and nobody will notice. It's just so they can find me if I'm killed and tossed in a ditch." Jaune shrugs as though his death is no big deal. "I'm learning to resist torture and interrogation, it's been rough." I can see how tired he looks when suddenly his face lights up with a megawatt grin._

" _I got a date with Ruby! Hopefully Yang won't kill me." Jaune pauses for a moment before his smile fades. "This isn't a video diary and … it'll probably blow up in my face." Jaune reaches towards the camera and then the screen flickers._

I remember that time so vividly. Jaune caught me between classes and asked me to the movies. I didn't even realize he was asking me out until he said it was a date. I feel a phantom of a smile but it passes quickly as the next video begins.

 _Ozpin is standing next to Jaune, both hold mugs in their hands. It looks to be during our final year due to the scar on Jaune's right cheek. Ozpin nods towards the camera and sips his coffee. "Alright Jaune, let's get this down for the record." There's no hesitation on Jaune's part. All the witty remarks and commentary are gone. When he looks at the camera it's as though he's admitting defeat._

" _I'll be infiltrating the White Fang. As Cinder's liaison. Any actions I do today and from now on will be to protect my cover. I have immunity from all four countries for all crimes I do now until Headmaster Ozpin says otherwise." He pauses and sighs. The bags under his eyes are obvious now, his hands are shaking. "I really don't want to do this." Ozpin put's a hand on his shoulder._

" _I understand." Jaune's face fills with panic. "Once I do this, I'll lose everything. They'll nev.." Glynda's voice cuts in interrupting Jaune. "Forgive? Do you want their forgiveness or for them to live?" Jaune nods to that. "Their lives are worth it." Jaune looks at Ozpin and when he speaks his voice is filled with desperation. "Will it be worth it?" it's clear he's seeking any alternative from the amount of pain in his voice. Ozpin looks down at him with pity. "I don't know. But, spend your time with them wisely._

I remember how stressed Jaune was then, at the time we thought it was exams. Yet every time I probed deeper he pinned it on stress and had… methods… of distracting me. I feel like I'm being torn from the inside out. I wipe at my eyes as the tear begin to make them cloudy. I need to see the videos clearly. I look over at the others and see how they're doing.

Ren and Nora are whispering to each other, eyes red with crying. Pyrrha's face is covered by her hands yet a steady stream of tears is leaking out from under her hands. Weiss and Blake are both silent, staring at the screen with a dead look in their eyes. My sister however has a small smile on her face that fills me with rage until she turns to look at me and speaks.

"I knew there was a reason I approved of him." I calm down at that but I can't help but think back to all the times Yang told me to give up on Jaune, where was that approval then. The next video then starts.

 _Jaune's crying, he's alone in a dark room staring at the camera. Only a bed with a duffle bag on it decorates the room. "I-it's…" Jaune takes a few breaths and after a few minutes looks up at the camera with unfocused eyes. "I betrayed them today, detonated a charge. Told Pyrrha to grab the team and run, didn't even say good-bye." Jaune pauses and tightens his fists. His breathing slows and his back straightens. When he looks back at the camera his face is blank and when he speaks so is his tone._

" _I have infiltrated the White Fang. I'm to work as Cinder's Liason, because I'm not racist and Roman has a bad past with them. I will continue on this side. Glynda will meet me in two weeks using a dead drop, see how I'm doing." The mask of stoicism cracks._

" _I backstabbed everyone. Betrayer. That's what they've labeled me, my family's already denounced me. I'm just another hunter that's gone bad. If any of my team got hurt. Oh Oum." Jaune places a hand on his forehead and squeezes his eyes shut. "I…I've always run from my legacy, guess this is the furthest I've ever gone." Jaune reaches for the camera._

"That's it for me." I turn to glare at my partner. "NO! We're all staying here and finishing these. That's an order." Weiss looks at me a pleading gaze but I don't crack. Eventually Weiss gives in and sit back down. "Fine, but as soon as we're done I'm going to see to it that Jaune's record is wiped away." Blake is still staring at the screen but her bow is twitching rapidly. If I had to guess she's comparing Jaune's and her own changing of allegiances.

 _Jaune is once more in the room, his face fill with exhaustion. "I… I directed Grimm today. They gave me full control of the Grimm army. We use collars directly inserted into their nervous system. I tried to make sure they went to the least populated areas but hell… I know people died, their blood is on my hands. This had better be worth it. Glynda told me I did what I had to do but did I really?"_

Nora speaks up. "That was when we saved CRDL." Ren nods and shifts in his seat. "I didn't think about it but the Grimm left as soon as we arrived, there was plenty of time to kill CRDL." Nora looks at the ceiling. "That device Dove had, he never remembered grabbing it. He simply found it on himself." A bitter smile works its way onto her face. "We're going to have a lot of apologizing to do when we die."

 _Jaune's running in this video, it looks closer to the present. A look of desperation is on his face. "Got info on the endgame. Uploading it now, making sure I got it down." Jaune enters his room and closes the door. He uses a small stick and waves it over the entire room before locking the door. "Cinder's planning to attack all the kingdoms with Grimm, she's using the military to do it. Some kind of virus uploaded into the system." Jaune bites down on his lip. "Going to Glynda's too risky, if they force an investigation it'll break my cover. Shit."Jaune maintains a worried look before snapping his fingers._

" _I need to get it to Ruby. She'll tell Weiss and since she's making machines for Ironwood…" Jaune trails off and his eyes harden. "I need to get a hit on RWBY."_

I let out a gasp as I recall the event. It was so out of the blue, we were simply on a recon mission and helping NPR evacuate civilians. That was one of the worst part of the war for me. I wanted to scream, cry, anything but fight Jaune. During one of the time our weapons clashed I saw a flicker of something, it gave me hope the Jaune I loved was still there. Then he suddenly left dropping some words about the military and Ironwood, those word let us find out about the virus.

"When did it happen?" I nearly jump when Pyrrha speaks, she's been so quiet recently. "I wonder when I lost faith in him." My silver eyes meet her green ones and she continues. "We both loved him." That was true. It lead to a lot of awkward situations. "But the difference between us was I gave up on him. I was disgusted with him, I hated him. I wonder… what if." I try to keep the anger and sorrow off my face at that. If she had believed in Jaune perhaps I could talk to him now. Pyrrha starts talking again.

"I stopped believing in him after that attack. I believed the old Jaune never existed unlike you. You never gave up on him, always believing he was still in there." I look away from her and turn back to the screen, too uncomfortable to continue.

" _Ozpin succeeded. I had to cut Glynda off, too dangerous now. I'm on my own." Jaune looks and the camera with those tired eyes. "The final steps are approaching, we're almost there." Jaune releases a long sigh. "Not sure what I'll do afterwards. Ozpin told me he'd try to integrate me back into society but that's a pipe dream. Everyone would hate me." Jaune releases a bitter chuckle as he shakes his head and then looks back up. "Time to go."_

I nearly have a heart attack when Ozpin suddenly speaks up, I was so engrossed in the video I didn't even hear him. "Every tune he fought it was never to kill. He would injure but never cripple. He always wanted updates on you guys. Now could I have a word with Miss Rose in private?" his tone makes it clear it's not a question. The others file out of the room and Ozpin closes the door behind them.

"There is one more video solely for you." He reaches past me and open up the file. Once that's done he presses a button and the video plays.

 _Jaune once more appears on the screen. This one was made around the time of the final fight judging by how he looks. "Ruby, if you're watching this I either died or succeeded. I honestly have no idea which would be worse. You've probably watched all my other videos. I made this one for you because…" For a moment it looks like he'll quit there before he looks back at the camera with a small smile. "The Jaune you loved still exists, he just had to take a vacation is all. If for some unlikely reason you still wanted him he'd be waiting."_

All I can feel is a deep aching pain in my chest. Tears are flowing from my eyes, it's made worse when Ozpin holds out a ring box to me. "I made a promise to give this to you if you didn't hate him after the logs. I know he bought this before he left." I open it up to see a silver ring shaped like a rose with a ruby on it. I remember this ring, I pointed it out to Jaune once. The implications of this ring then fully hit me. Somehow I manage to spit out what I want to say.

"Whe…where i…is he?" Ozpin sits across from me and then places a set of keys in my hand along with a piece of paper. "We had a man-made island ready for him. A place for him to be until he was ready to reintegrate into society. It was the only place I trusted his body to be safe. You can take the Bullhead on the roof." I rapidly thank him. Before grabbing everything and running off. I speed by my team, NPR, everyone and everything.

After that everything becomes a blur. I don't know how long the flight took, I spent most of it fiddling with the ring Jaune left me and reliving old memories. The time we danced and he apologized for what I now know what was to come, the numerous times we slipped away from everyone to go to a hotel in Vale, all the dates we had, skipping rocks together, and it all ends with him bleeding out against the wall and yet still looking at me with love right before I'm dragged away. I should have rushed back to him, should have at least heard him out.

When I arrive I punch in the docking codes and wait impatiently for the Bullhead to land. As soon as it landed I was out and rushing to where the map Ozpin gave me said the grave was. I find it easily enough. It's such a simple thing, merely a granite slab with the name Jaune on it. Nothing more is written on it.

This is what his reward was?! A simple grave in a remote area since anywhere else would see it defiled. He can't even use his family name, the one he loved so dearly. All the sacrifices he made, all the hardships he suffered. Looking back I don't think we would have won this war without Jaune, without him we'd have been ignorant of so many of Cinder's plans. I collapse to my knees then and there. The weight of the day finally becoming too much.

"WHY DID YOU DO IT YOU IDIOT? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE TO NOW? WHO WILL BE THE ONE I GET INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH ABOUT BABY NAMES? WHO'S GOING TO BE THE ONE THAT LIGHTS UP EVEN THE DARKEST DAY I HAVE?" I've lost the man I loved, I can never get him back now. There will be no do-over, no second chances, no happy endings. All I can see ahead of me is a life not worth living, how can I look at myself in a mirror knowing I played a part in this? How can I fight for the public when they condemn the one I love and don't know all he did for them? Soon my vision blackens and I embrace the realm of unconsciousness, fleeing from the pain the conscious realm has brought me.

 **Now then if you're fine with how it ends here I recommend stopping now. If not read on. This is the idea that wouldn't leave me.**

 **Glynda's POV**

It's been three day's since we showed RWBY and NPR the logs. Miss Rose hasn't been seen since, nor has she contacted anyone. I'm currently headed to Jaune's grave to pay my respects. I think it's fair to say he was and will always be my favorite student. I dock down on the island and see that the Bullhead Miss Rose took is still there. I check the house built for Jaune only to find no one there, no signs of entry are even there. I head to the grave and see a figure lying near it. When I arrive I find it's Ruby. She's pale, covered in the elements, and yet now I see she looks so at peace. I bend down to rouse her.

"Wake up Ruby." She doesn't stir. I shake her harder and speak louder yet she still doesn't stir. I check her pulse and my heart skips a beat. Her pulse is extremely weak and she's so cold. I shake her harder, begging her to wake up. I can't lose another student so soon. Not when I made a promise about this one specifically.

" _Heh Glynda, if I don't make it out of this thing alive… look after Ruby for me please."_ Despite my best efforts Ruby doesn't come back, not even when I use lightning dust to try to jump start her heart. I call Ozpin who soon arrives with a medical team. They take her away yet I can feel there's no hope of her recovering.

I go to the hospital and watch WBY, NPR, Qrow, and Taiyang show up, I hear the medical team announce her dead, they say it's as though she gave up. I watch the break down, I join in myself. When funeral arrangement are made the public wants a big public grave. We let them believe that's where she's buried, in reality she's buried with Jaune, the two of them side by side for eternity. How the public would hate this. The Traitor and The Savior buried together. A small private funeral is held, more break-downs occur and slowly one by one everyone heads out. Ozpin and I plan to stay till everyone leaves, a sense of duty keeping us there. Both of us blame ourselves for Jaune and its obvious Ruby followed him into the abyss.

Before Qrow and Taiyang leave they carve something on Jaune's grave. Under his name they've put Rose. I questioned them about it and I was glad to hear they would have approved of Jaune and Ruby marrying. I showed his family the logs and they still rejected him, stating that it doesn't change what he did. To them he was a stain on the Arc name, a great deal of self-control was used up at that moment. Hours pass and soon everyone has left. I turn to leave and stop when Ozpin grabs my shoulder. I turn around and my eyes widen.

Standing in front of their graves are Jaune and Ruby, both are smiling at us before turning around, grabbing the others hand, and walking off only to fade away from view. A small smile works its way onto my face. At the very least those two are together, through all the pain and suffering they went through at least they have each other.


End file.
